BTS is back. After military service and solo projects, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook are finally on stage together again with the biggest K‑pop world tour so far. Their comeback show on 21 March in Seoul drew tens of thousands of fans on site and more than 18 million viewers via livestream, a preview of the scale of this tour.
At the heart of this comeback is the new album Arirang, where BTS blend their hip‑hop roots with a modern, international sound. The iconic Korean folk song Arirang is sampled in the opening track Body to Body, there is a heavy use of English lyrics, and producers from the United States, Australia and Spain have contributed. This has sparked debate among Korean fans: some feel the album sounds too “Western” and miss the raw emotion and strongly Korean lyrics of BTS’s earlier work, while others see it as a natural evolution for a group that now operates on a truly global level.
That tension, between K‑pop and global pop, between Korean roots and international ambition, makes this world tour especially interesting. A recent documentary shows BTS openly discussing the direction of their music and identity with their agency Hybe. How much tradition should stay in the spotlight, and how much freedom should there be to explore new styles and collaborations? BTS clearly do not shy away from these questions.
With their long‑awaited comeback, the new album Arirang, a record‑breaking world tour and their very first shows in Belgium, BTS and ARMY prove just how big K‑pop has become. Whether you joined the fandom recently or have followed them since the Dark & Wild era, 2026 marks a new chapter where the group balances Korean roots with global pop status. For K‑pop fans at Heroes Made in Asia, this is the perfect moment to celebrate that energy, share your fandom and look forward to a truly “dynamite” summer in Brussels.
Image: Korean choreographer Jay Kim on stage during the K-pop panel at the Mochi Stage of Heroes Made in Asia 2026
About the Author: Heroes Made in Asia Marketing Team
This article was compiled by the marketing team at Heroes Made in Asia (HMIA). With over 17,500 unique visitors, HMIA is the largest platform in the Netherlands for fans of Asian pop culture. We monitor daily trends in Asia to provide our community with verified information and unique experiences at our flagship event in Jaarbeurs Utrecht.
